


Choices

by asoulofstars



Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [10]
Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Communication, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Guilt, I also have a LOT of emotions over Mr Yin Presents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars
Summary: Riona's carried guilt her whole life. She knows what it looks like on someone else. Time to have a talk with her boyfriend.
Relationships: Shawn Spencer/Original Female Character(s), Shawn Spencer/Riona Gallagher
Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028376
Kudos: 2





	Choices

**Author's Note:**

> Tag to "Mr. Yin Presents". It's my second favorite episode. You can expect more to do with this episode. Also, for the purposes of timelines, I'm using the timeline established in "Yang 3 in 2D", where this all takes place at the end of July/beginning of August instead of the February 24th date used in MYP. So, this drabble officially takes place August 4, 2010.

Riona was glad that Chief Vick had given them all mandatory leave after what happened with Yin. Riona was _very_ glad that she and Shawn were finally on the same page. Especially because the past few days, it meant spending most of her time wrapped up in his arms. They had actually had some good conversations about their relationship, because even though they’d been dancing around things for almost two years now, being _in_ a relationship meant setting some ground rules. And, Riona adored how open Shawn was willing to be with her about things. She could go slow for him. She just hoped that he knew he didn’t have to _prove_ anything to her.

On the other hand, though, Shawn hadn’t…relaxed…since it happened. Even just curled up on her couch or in bed with Freyja purring at them, he was so tense. They were all ordered to get cleared by a department approved psychologist, and they weren’t able to go through Shawn’s mom, because she had been part of it and was too close to some of them. Riona had her regular therapist which helped, and she'd already been to see her, but Shawn was reticent at best about the whole thing. He still hadn't talked to anyone outside of maybe Gus, but that wasn't going to help him process.

“Talk to me,” she said into his chest.

“About what?” he asked.

Riona kissed his chest and looked up at him. “You know what. You’re guilty about what happened.”

Shawn shifted, pressing his lips together. Riona sat up and kissed his jaw. She knew what it was like to blame herself for something she had no real control over. She knew he’d never stop blaming himself. That was how it went when the people you cared about were on the line.

“I don’t blame you,” she said gently.

“You should,” he replied. “Yin took you _and_ Jules to make me choose. I told them to go after Jules. I didn’t have any idea where you were. I was about to go with them, and I remembered this image. And I was still almost too late. Riona, I need you to blame me.”

Riona took his face in her hands, and she waited until he really looked at her. Hazel eyes finally met hers, and she kissed him gently.

“I don’t blame you. You _did_ choose me. You didn’t send police for me. You came. You came with your dad, and you saved me.”

Shawn rested his forehead against hers. She ran her fingers through his hair and down his back and across his shoulders. She just wanted to hold him. He pulled her into him tight.

“Is that really how you see it?” Shawn asked into her hair.

“Shawn, I can’t lie to save my life. But, honestly, I woke up not that long before Yin tied me to that post, and I just knew that you would be there. I didn’t panic, because I just knew you were coming. And you did. It doesn’t matter how close of a call it was; it doesn’t matter that you didn’t know until the last minute. _You_ came for me.” She kissed his shoulder.

“I….” he trailed off.

“Me, too,” she replied. _I love you so much, Shawn Spencer._

For the first time, she felt some of the tension start to leave his shoulders. She knew he would still be guilty, and she wasn’t going to tell him not to be. Not when she couldn’t do the same for her own guilt. But he believed her; he accepted that she didn’t blame him, and that was enough for them both.

“Let’s watch _Stardust_ ,” she said gently. “And then you can pick one of your ‘80s movies.” She lifted her head to grin at him.

“Okay,” he agreed, giving her a small smile. “We gotta teach Freyja how to put DVDs in.”

Riona nodded seriously, not really trying to detangle herself from Shawn even though she would have to for one of them to put the movie on.

"Sorry for ruining your birthday," he said, holding her tighter.

"Mmm. I like our talks. You didn't ruin anything." She kissed his jaw again. "Maybe later we can go for a motorcycle ride, though."

"Deal." He tilted his head back to give her lips more access, and his fingers started trailing up and down her spine.


End file.
